Treating wall and skirting following a water leak

[karenw]

Hi there - I'm a DIY novice looking for some pointers. I recently had a leak from my bathroom, which leaked into the cement wall :-((( The leak has been fixed but clearly a lot of water got into the adjoining bedroom wall/skirting as I've been drying it out for more than 6 months and there is still evidence of moisture. I've removed bubbling paint from the wall, and replastered (the render was quite rough) and then applied a sealing paint. This has mostly worked but there are still patches where the paint is continuing to bubble up and I keep sanding it back. The skirting was ruined and has recently been replaced. The carpenter who installed them told me to use 'bathroom ceiling paint' to help treat/preserve the new timber skirtings. I'm not really sure which product to buy? Is this an acrylic based paint? I'm wondering if I go this route can I use the same paint to seal the wall too, before applying my top coat. Just trying to understand which paints to buy to try and get my skirtings and wall back to how they were - ie no signs of water damage, and hopefully waterproofed, in case further moisture is still in the wall. I need to get the property/room to a high enough standard to rent out, as we are likely going to have to move for work. Long story but keen on direction to get the best result without wasting money on the wrong products. Thanks in Advance!

[MitchellMc]

Hi @karenw,

The carpenter was most likely talking about Dulux Wash And Wear 4L +Plus Kitchen And Bathroom Vivid White Low Sheen Paint which has a mould-inhibitor and provides lasting protection to rooms with damp and humid conditions. Whether it is a bathroom ceiling or wall paint these are soft wearing paints and generally not used on skirting boards. Before painting your wall I would suggest giving it a good sanding to remove all the blistering paint and then applying Taubmans 3 In 1 Interior And Exterior Primer Undercoat Sealer White Paint.  A sealer is what is really needed here to stop any moisture permeating the surface.

For the skirting boards, I would again suggest using the Taubmans primer and then painting with a hard-wearing top-coat such as Dulux Aquanamel.

I'd also like to commend you on your diligence in getting the property to a high enough standard to rent out. The property I rent had the exact same issue of a leaking shower and a damp wall with paint blistering off. I have fixed the leaking shower, dried out the wall, patched and re-painted by myself as the owner isn't interested in what the place looks like.

Please let us know if you need further assistance or had any questions. We're here to help.

Mitchell

[karenw]

Thanks so much Mitchell this is super helpful. I bought the products you suggested and painted the skirts on the weekend. I've sanded back the wall, and will give it a few more weeks before sealing again and painting! 

[MitchellMc]

@karenw,

It sounds like a great idea to give the wall a little extra time to dry out.

Please keep us updated on your progress and the results as I trust our members with similar issues will be interested in the outcome.

Mitchell

[karenw]

Hi everyone, 

I'm looking for a final bit of direction as I try to complete this job which was pretty mammoth from start to end. I've allowed some extra time for the wall to dry, and sanded back all the bubbling sections. The trouble is I've now been left with some annoying craters - what's the best way to patch this, without having to knock off all the plaster I used to patch damage the first time round (most of which has stayed on). It's just the sections where it was obviously still wet and it bubbled up again. Sanding it back somehow meant the plaster fell away completely   i'm a bit concerned about the final finish of the wall, as it was roughly rendered, and now there are smooth and rougher patches - hopefully the final paint will conceal this mostly.Thanks! Karen

[MitchellMc]

Hi @karenw,

Just a small tub of Selleys 180g Spakfilla Rapid Gap Filler would be suitable for doing a skim coat over that bubbled area. You don't need to build up a huge amount of it on the surface just fill the craters themselves and sand back flush with the other plaster.

If you are worried about the texture difference then I would suggest two coats of the undercoat and then two of the topcoat. Four coats should mask most of the differences. You'll find the more coats you do the less discrepancy there will be.

We look forward to seeing your reults.

Mitchell

[karenw]

Thanks Mitchell - do you know the brand/name of the tub/product I need? Thanks! Karen

[MitchellMc]

@karenw,

I apologise if I wasn't clear. The product you need is Selleys 180g Spakfilla Rapid Gap Filler and it comes in a small tub. The blue text is a link to our product page. The brand is Selleys.

Mitchell

[karenw]

Hi Mitchell for some reason your blue text/link isn't showing up on the page for me?

[MitchellMc]

@karenw, 

We'll try it the good ole' fashion way. The product is Selleys 180g Spakfilla Rapid Gap Filler. You'll find it in the paint section of your local Bunnings store.

Mitchell